Improved heel



a l 'f f* mimi mes wweeaaeww i i. atmi that.'

vIIMPRO'VED HEEL-FOR BOOTS .AND SHOES.

The VSchedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

Be it known that I, ALBERT O. CRANE, of Boston, in the 'county of Suffolk, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and improved Rotating Heel for Boots and Shoes, and a new modeA of fastening the same to the sole; and I do hereby declare that and when onto be firm, vand easily revolved.

I am aware that heels capable of being revolved after'.

they are fastened upon the b oot have been heretofore made, but they are, so far as I know, open to the objections following, that is to say, they are fastened from the inside, and are thus inconvenient. Also, when rev vo1ved, they turn on the thread of th'e fastening-screw,

instead-of turning on the fastening-stud, and thus it became loose. These, and other objections, my present improvements entirely overcome, as I believe.

My heel may be applied directly to the sole of theboot or shoe, andlmade of suiiicient thickness for that purpose, but I prefer to apply them to a heel partly constructed upon the boot or shoe, and employ them in the place or stead of the two or three top-lifts or risers; and it is as so applied and constructed that I shall describe them.

I make the heel of any suitable. material, (though I prefer some rubber compound) round in form, and about fone-half an inch in thickness.

If the revolving qualities are wholly or in part dispensed with, then an oval, or any formmay be adopted.

Through the centre I make a circular hole, diminishing in diameter from the outer to the inner side or end, thus giving to it the-form of a section of a cone. I make a stud, likewise, in form, the section of a cone, (I prefer it to be of typemetal,) iitting snugly into this hole, and having the outer surface suiiicientlysmooth to permit the heel to revolve upon it without much friction. This stud should be about as long as the heel is thick. It is perforated, to receive the fastening-screw, andthe larger end is bored out, so as to conntersink the screw.

For lightness, and economy of stock, I prefer to conntersink the screw about one-half the length of the stud..

The inside of the smaller end of the stud is made with a tapering shoulder, fitting the form of the under side of an ordinary screw-head, and the hole therein is of the size cf the'fastening-screw, thus giving to the screw a firm hold, and to the stud suficient strength to hold the heel firmly in its place on the shoe when the screw is driven into the sole.

The walls ofthe inner or smaller end of this stud, it' will be seen, are much thicker than those of the larger end, by reason of the latter having been bored out to eountersink thescrew, and they are thus able to bear the greater strain that comes upon them in holding, by means of the screw-head, the stud and heel to the sole.

Upon the inner edge of this stud-I make one or-more points or projections, that enter into the sole of the vshoe when the stud is screwed down, and thus effectually prevent the turning of the stud or screw when the heel is revolved.

When this stud is inserted in the hole inthe heel, an'd the whole screwed upon the boot, the heel will, with little force, be made to revolve upon the stud, and the whole is ready for use.

In putting on the heel, it is betterto make holes in the sole, to receive the screw and the points on the stud.

It will be seen that, as the heel is held upon the shoe only bythis stud, it is important that it should have a diameter, thickness, and tapereorresponding to the size of the heel. For this purpose I have valious `sizes of studs, according to the size of the heels. But for the ordinary size of mens boois, say as large as No. 7, I makethe stud about eleven-sixteenths of an inch in diameter at the larger, and one-half an inch at the smaller end, and, one-twelfthof an inch in thickness in the walls at the larger end when the screw head is countersunk. But these proportions and dimensions must vary, not only with the size of the v heel, but with the materials used.

.I do not conne myself to fastening these heels on the sole with a 'screw only; sometimes I prefer a nail driven through the stud, and clinched on the inside of the sho e, having a head shaped to fit the inclined shoulder of the stud.

The annexed drawings show the features of my said invention with substantial minute'ness and accuracy'.

Figure l represents the heel fastened upon the boot, and ready for wear.

Figure 2 represents the stud..

Figure 3 represents a vertical section of the heel and sole as fastened together 'in iig.` 1, drawn through the lmiddle of the heel.

Figure 4 represents a part of a boot prepared to receive my heel, made as particularly hereinbefore described, with the stud upon it.

In these drawings, the letters represent the features of my improvement, as follows, viz:

Letter a is the heel.

7)the stud.

c, the heel-part of the boot upon which my improved heel is intended to be placed. A

d, the space cut away in the stud, for countersinking the screw.

e, the points on the stud. A

f, the screw.

I claimg l. Heels, made substantially ask I have described, and so constructed that they may be revolved upon the stud by which they are fastened'upon theboot or shoe. f

I 2. A stud, so formed that itwill hold the-theel upon I the boot orshoe, and remain in its place while'the heel is revolved.

3. The combination Yof the heel and'vstnd, made substantially as and forthe purposes described.

ALBERT O. CRANE.

Witnesses:

F. Honens, JoNo. F. BARRETT. 

